Keeper of the Flames
by TheMaskedCat
Summary: Mako meets the old Fire Lord. One shot, may become chapter. I haven't really decided yet.


Author's Note: This has been boiling in me since Legend of Korra stated that Zuko was still alive. I have to admit that he is and always has been my fav in the Avatar universe. I watched every episode of Legend of Korra hoping they would bring him back in. In the first episode, one of Korra's masters talks about her having a problem with the spiritual aspect of bending and I figured that if they extended the series it would be her learning the more spiritual side since she already knew the moves. Now it comes out that the second season, or book, is called Spirits. And who better to teach the new Avatar than the teacher of the old Avatar.

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender or Legend of Korra. I'm simply playing with other people's characters for a while.

Keeper of the Flames

Chapter One

Mako pushed down his irritation as the fireball he threw landed in front of his target instead of on it. He had been working at becoming more powerful since the Avatar had shown up. Not the Avatar now, but just Korra. His girlfriend, the first woman that his brother loved and the one thing the older brother had been selfish about. Thankfully, Bolin recognized that what was between his brother and the young Avatar was real. He had bowed out gracefully in the end, happy for them both.

He moved back into his stance and threw another fireball. And got the same result.

"No. Power in firebending comes from the breath."

Mako jerked toward the voice but his shoulder was jabbed back to face the target. The voice's owner was right behind him, to his left, and the pro-bender wondered how he had gotten so close. The harsh cadence told him the man was much older, perhaps elderly, but the strength behind his words warned Mako not to underestimate him.

"The breath becomes energy within the body. That energy extends past you limbs and becomes fire."

He watched as a strong, but wrinkled hand from a red sleeve released a fireblast that hit the target, so far away, effortlessly.

"Now, do it again. Take a breath. Let the flames come out as you exhale."

Mako followed the man's instruction. Taking a breath, he felt it move through his lungs, felt it spread through his body. The flames appeared as he pushed the air from his body...and easily struck the target. Then flew past it to the wall of the training room.

The man laughed.

"Better. Now, you just need to work on your focus."

Mako heard Bolin and Korra coming into the room as he went for the water bucket. The young avatar was faster, bending the water to extinguish the flames. When he thanked her, the firebender saw General Iroh behind the pair.

"Wow, bro! I think that is the best I've ever seen you."

"He just needs to learn how to not burn everything in his path."

The old man's laughing voice grated on the young firebender. The irritation finally came out in a huff.

"Look, old man..." He saw Bolin's face as he turned. His brother was in full freak out mode. Shifting between his feet, almost jumping in place, his mouth going faster than ever.

"What are you...Do you know...I..." Finally, the earthbender just hit the ground, bowing his head.

"There's no need for that." The man waved Bolin to stand. Mako still watched his brother as he rose from the floor. His excitement barely contained as he held his hands over his mouth to keep quiet.

General Iroh stepped forward with a rare smile.

"It is good to see you, Grandfather."

_'Grandfather?!'_

Mako turned to the man, finally seeing him. Expensive robes, in the red of the Fire Nation, were trimmed in gold thread that winked in the sunlight. White hair was pulled into a top knot he had seen still worn by the older set. The face, although weathered with age and experience, was the same one that Mako had stared at while he watched over his brother as they slept in dark corridors of Central Station after their parent's deaths. The firebender had spoke his vow to always take care of his younger brother, no matter what it would cost him in the end, to that burning statue of the world's most famous firebender.

"Fire Lord Zuko."


End file.
